Worrying

[lorinm]

My cat is currently a year old, she's on the smaller more petite side of full grown cats. She had 3 kittens yesterday around 6pm EST. It has been over 24 hours, and my hubby happen to be petting her when he said "there's a hard lump" I felt the area, seeming to be a kitten that she has not delivered yet. There is no movement, mom seems to be doing well, feeding her 3 newborn kittens, walking around, but mainly staying with them. I'm concerned for her, I'm concerned that there may be a deceased baby kitten in her womb. I'm not sure what to do. I've called the emergency vet within my area they recommend to wait it out.
But again, there's no movement. Any suggestions? When should I really worry? I've already balled my eyes out, thinking I may lose my precious mama cat.

 

[StefanZ]

My cat is currently a year old, she's on the smaller more petite side of full grown cats. She had 3 kittens yesterday around 6pm EST. It has been over 24 hours, and my hubby happen to be petting her when he said "there's a hard lump" I felt the area, seeming to be a kitten that she has not delivered yet. There is no movement, mom seems to be doing well, feeding her 3 newborn kittens, walking around, but mainly staying with them. I'm concerned for her, I'm concerned that there may be a deceased baby kitten in her womb. I'm not sure what to do. I've called the emergency vet within my area they recommend to wait it out.
But again, there's no movement. Any suggestions? When should I really worry? I've already balled my eyes out, thinking I may lose my precious mama cat.

The most probable its a swollen womb! And yes, it feels almost as a kitten left. Even experienced breeders have sometimes difficult to know for sure.
Her behaving perfectly normal for a new momma is also a calming and promising sign.

So, no quarantees, but waiting it out IS our recommendation in this situation. Exactly as the vet proposed.

You do of course watch and monitor, there MAY be arise complications, but be calm and wait....

And weigh the kittens every day. This is the easiest way to notice if everything is ok or if you do must do something extra.
If they add 10+ grams a day; good, if they add much less; not good.

 

[catsknowme]

I agree that since mama kitty isn't in distress, it is okay to wait and monitor closely. It could be the womb , just as StefanZ suggested.

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, just wait. Sometimes another kitten conceived later is delivered several days later. That or her uterus is still swollen, as StefanZ said. As long as she is eating, drinking, and caring for her kittens - and not seeming ill or in distress - things should be fine!

Keep us posted!

 

[di and bob]

StefanZ and Sarthur2 are experts, I always listen to their advice. I have always gone by how mama is acting. if she is calm and taking care of the kittens, eating/drinking/using the litter box, everything is normal. Just like in a human, after birth, you can feel the enlarged, swollen womb. That is why nurses massage your abdomen, to get the circulation going and for it to shrink. If it IS another kitten, it is NOT unusual for them to fertilize eggs at different times because egg release is driven by mating. so it may be days or even a week until the other kitten would be born.

 

[Caspers Human]

The most probable its a swollen womb! And yes, it feels almost as a kitten left. Even experienced breeders have sometimes difficult to know for sure.

Yes, just wait. Sometimes another kitten conceived later is delivered several days later. That or her uterus is still swollen, as StefanZ said. As long as she is eating, drinking, and caring for her kittens - and not seeming ill or in distress - things should be fine!

StefanZ and Sarthur2 are experts, I always listen to their advice. I have always gone by how mama is acting. if she is calm and taking care of the kittens, eating/drinking/using the litter box, everything is normal. Just like in a human, after birth, you can feel the enlarged, swollen womb. That is why nurses massage your abdomen, to get the circulation going and for it to shrink. If it IS another kitten, it is NOT unusual for them to fertilize eggs at different times because egg release is driven by mating. so it may be days or even a week until the other kitten would be born.

This is what bugs me about some vets. They don't explain things. They just give pat answers then they act as if they are thinking, "Be gone with you!"

If the vet had said what StefanZ , Sarthur2 , and di and bob just said, I don't think you would have been bawling your eyes out, worrying.

It might have taken less than five minutes for the vet to explain these things and it would have saved a whole lot of grief on your part.

 

[Sarthur2]

Agreed, and that is why The Cat Site exists, so that those of us with knowledge and experience can fill in the gaps!